Corset-fastening



(No Model.)

W. F. MGGEE. CORSET FASTBNING.

No. 451,506. Patented May 5, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

WIIILIAM F. MCGE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

CORSET-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,506, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed December l, 1890. Serial No. 373,253. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. MGGEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corset- Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in corsets5'and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of the clasp whereby the meeting edges of the halves of the corset are secured together.

The invention further consists in the peculiar construction of aclasp applied to busks, which are adapted to be superimposed in their locked position, one busk forming a keeper or locking-bearing and the other carrying lthe spring-clasp and, further, in the peculiar construction of the means for unlocking the two partsV by a vertical movement, consisting in a cam or bearing placed beside the hook of the clasp and adapted to impart a horizontal motion to the hook during its vertical travel; and, further, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described,

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a detached perspective view of the two busks at the meet-ing edges of a corset. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the parts engaged. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on line a: in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the locking-busk, showing a modified form of construction.

A and B are the busks at the meeting edges of the halves of a corset.

C is the covering or cloth upon the busk A.

D is the covering upon the busk B, applied in the usual manner.

E are a series of spring clasps or hooks secured to the busk A and each is of the following construction: a is a securing portion of the hook, by means of which the hook is riveted to the busk. b is a lateral extension, whereby the body of the hook c is raised from the busk a sufficient distance to allow of the engagement thereunder of the busk B, and cl is the hook formed at the free end of the body c. This hook,being made of spring metal,will normally have its locking or hook portion bearing against the upper surface of the busk A,

the curved shoulder e being formed at its front edge to allow of engaging the busk B thereunder by a slight pressure. rlhe cover D of the busk Bis cut away at. F, leaving exposed at such cut-away portion the edge G of the steel busk, which forms a locking-bearing or keeper, with which the hooks are adapted to engage. To engage the busk B with the clasps E the front edge IVI of the busk is engaged against the shoulder e, and by a slight pressure laterally, the two busks being superimposed, the hook d will engage over the lockin g-bearin g G and hold the two parts together.

It is evident from the parts thus described that to separate the two busks it would be necessary to perform the reverse operation after raising each of the hooks from its engagement with the bearing G. This is a difficult operation, and in order to allow of disengaging the parts by imparting a Vertical motion to the busks in relation to each other I place upon the edge of the busk B at one end of the bearing G an unlocking lug or flange I, having the upwardly-inclined cam or face J, extending from the face of the locking-bearing G outwardly, and the reversely-inclined face K, extending from the extreme point of the cam J inwardly. The cam J not only extends laterally, but also inclines outwardly from the face of the busk B. Now it is evident that if the parts are engaged together, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2,and a vertical motion is given to the two busks in relation to each other, the lower edge of the hook will strike against the cam J, which will cause the parts to move laterally and disengage the hook from the bearing G, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. A further movement will cause the hooks to beA entirely disengaged from the lug I as well as from the bearing and allow the parts to separate. The reverselyinclined liange K will serve as a guide to prevent the re-engagement of the hook upon the edge of the busk B.

The cover upon the busk B may be as shown in Fig. 1, or may be as shown in Fig. 3.

The manner of forming the keeper or the manner of forming the clasp may be changed, and I do not desire to limit myself to the exact construction shown.

What I claim as my invention isu l. In a corset-fastener, two parallel strips,

IOO

1o a double-inclined eam upon said keeper adapted to engage with the liooleplate and move the b usks horizontally to disengage the hook from the keeper when the busks are moved vertieally in relation to each other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM. F. MCGEE.

Witnesses:

)IELVILLE MCGEE, GEORGE W. SWEEZEY. 

